Recalling Rustington not so very long ago

Graham Lewis, Rustington Heritage Association committee member

Our towns and villages are always changing, with new developments seemingly springing up all the time, but it’s easy to forget how our familiar surroundings once used to look.

Rustington Heritage Association chairman Harry Clark has been taking photographs in and around Rustington for 40 years, amassing a collection of more than 1,400 35mm slides.

Hare's Garage, Ash Lane, Rustington, now Establo Lounge

These photographs have now been digitised for archiving by the Heritage Association and copies are held at Rustington Museum.

Harry has recently been busy picking out a selection of these pictures, which he will show at the heritage association’s first meeting of 2018 next Thursday.

Seeing these photos will no doubt bring back memories for those who have known Rustington for some time.

For example, although it is not long since the Establo Lounge bar/restaurant in Ash Lane was a car showroom, many will recall it was once Hare’s Garage, complete with petrol pumps under the canopy, as Harry’s photo shows.

Harry Clark with his slides

Broadway Mansions, a block of shops and flats dating from 1909, once stood where the Tesco Express building dominates the corner of Claigmar Road and The Street.

Harry’s photograph captures the moment in the 1970s when the site was about be redeveloped.

It was in the early 1970s, after meeting village historian Mary Taylor, that Harry’s interest in Rustington’s history really began, though as the librarian for Rustington he had already heard many reminiscences about the village from residents.

Harry went on to lead guided walks about Rustington’s past for almost a quarter of a century and he continues to be the heritage association’s active chairman.

Harry’s selection of nostalgic photos from his collection, together with some older archive pictures, may be seen in his presentation at the heritage association meeting at 2.30pm on January 11 in the John de Bohun Room, Woodlands Centre, Woodlands Avenue, Rustington. All are welcome, subject to space – members £1, visitors £3 (pay at the door).

Harry’s guided walks are now available as illustrated booklets which are on sale at Rustington Museum in The Street, Rustington.